Automated Clothes Dryer Assembly

ABSTRACT

A automated clothes dryer assembly for simultaneously drying multiple categories of clothing includes a housing and a plurality of drawer units that is each of the drawer units is slidably positioned in the housing. Each of the drawer units can receive a respective category of clothing. A control circuit is coupled to the housing and the control circuit storing data pertaining to a plurality of drying sequences. A blower unit is coupled to the housing and the blower unit is electrically coupled to the control circuit. Additionally, the blower unit is selectively placed in fluid communication with each of the each of the drawer units for during the category of clothing in each of the drawer units.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR ASA TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention (2) Descriptionof Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and1.98

The disclosure and prior art relates to dryer devices and moreparticularly pertains to a new dryer device for simultaneously dryingmultiple categories of clothing.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above bygenerally comprising a housing and a plurality of drawer units that iseach of the drawer units is slidably positioned in the housing. Each ofthe drawer units can receive a respective category of clothing. Acontrol circuit is coupled to the housing and the control circuitstoring data pertaining to a plurality of drying sequences. A blowerunit is coupled to the housing and the blower unit is electricallycoupled to the control circuit. Additionally, the blower unit isselectively placed in fluid communication with each of the each of thedrawer units for during the category of clothing in each of the drawerunits.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the disclosure in order that the detailed descriptionthereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that thepresent contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There areadditional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafterand which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features ofnovelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out withparticularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of thisdisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than thoseset forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a automated clothes dryer assembly accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a blower unit of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a drawer unit of an embodiment ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a screen of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of display of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through6 thereof, a new dryer device embodying the principles and concepts ofan embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by thereference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the automated clothes dryerassembly 10 generally comprises a housing 12 that has a front wall 14,and the front wall 14 has a plurality of drawer openings 16 eachextending into an interior of the housing 12. The drawer openings 16 arespaced apart from each other and are vertically distributed on the frontwall 14. Additionally, the housing 12 has an air intake 18 and an airexhaust 20. A control circuit 22 is coupled to the housing 12 and thecontrol circuit 22 stores data pertaining to a plurality of dryingsequences. The drying sequences may include dryer settings for pants,shirts, sweaters, underwear and other clothing.

A plurality of drawer units 24 is each slidably positioned in thehousing 12 and each of the drawer units 24 receives a respectivecategory of clothing. The categories of clothing may include pants,shirts, sweaters, underwear and other clothing. Moreover, each of thecategories of clothing corresponds to a respective one of the dryersequences in the control circuit 22. Each of the drawer units 24 ispositioned in a respective one of the drawer openings 16.

Each of the drawer units 24 comprises a box 26 that has a front side 28,a back side 30 and an outer wall 32 extending therebetween. The frontside 28 is open and the outer wall 32 has a first lateral side 34 and asecond lateral side 36. The first lateral side 34 has a first airopening 38 extending into an interior of the box 26 and the secondlateral side 36 has a second air opening 40 extending into an interiorof the box 26. Moreover, the box 26 is slidably positioned in therespective drawer 42 opening having the front side 28 of the box 26being aligned with the front wall 14 of the housing 12.

Each of the drawer units 24 includes a drawer 42 that has a front wall44, a first sidelong wall 46, a second sidelong wall 48 and a bottomwall 50. Each of the first 46 and second 48 sidelong walls slidablyengages a respective one of the first 34 and second 36 lateral sides ofthe outer wall 32 of the box 26. The drawer 42 in each of the drawerunits 24 is assigned to respective one of the categories of clothing,and the respective category of clothing is positionable in the drawer 42for drying. The first sidelong wall 46 has a first air aperture 52extending therethrough; the first air aperture 52 is aligned with and isin fluid communication with the first air opening 38 when the drawer 42is in a closed position in the box 26. The second sidelong wall 48 has asecond air aperture 54 extending therethrough; the second air aperture54 is aligned with and is in fluid communication with the second airopening 40 when the drawer 42 is in the closed position in the box 26.

The bottom wall 50 of the drawer 42 has a circulation aperture 56extending therethrough. A screen 58 is coupled to the bottom wall 50 ofthe box 26 and category of clothing is positioned on the screen 58 whenthe respective category of clothing is positioned in the drawer 42. Thescreen 58 is aligned with the circulation aperture 56 to facilitate airto circulate around the respective category of clothing. The screen 58may be concavely arcuate such that the screen 58 has a bowl shape. Ascale 60 is coupled to the bottom wall 50 of the drawer 42 to detect theweight of the category of clothing positioned in the drawer 42. Thescale 60 is electrically coupled to the control circuit 22 therebyfacilitating the control circuit 22 to customize a dryer sequence withrespect to the duration of time that the weight of respective categoryof clothing will likely require to be fully dried. The scale 60 may bean electronic weight sensor or the like.

A blower unit 62 is provided and the blower unit 62 is coupled to thehousing 12. The blower unit 62 is in fluid communication with each ofthe air intake 18 and the air exhaust 20 for urging air inwardly throughthe air intake 18 and outwardly through the air exhaust 20. Each of thedrawer units 24 is in fluid communication with the blower unit 62 to drythe category of clothing in each of the drawer units 24.

The blower unit 62 comprises a plurality of first conduits 64 that iseach positioned within the housing 12. Each of the first conduits 64 isin fluid communication with the air intake 18 and each of the firstconduits 64 has a terminal end 66. The terminal end 66 of each of thefirst conduits 64 is in fluid communication with the first air opening38 in the box 26 of a respective one of the drawer units 24. A pluralityof second conduits 68 is each positioned within the housing 12. Each ofthe second conduits 68 is in fluid communication with the air exhaust 20and each of the second conduits 68 has an initial end 70. The initialend 70 of each of the first conduits 64 is in fluid communication withthe second air opening 40 in the box 26 of a respective one of thedrawer units 24.

A blower 72 is positioned within the housing 12 and the blower 72 is influid communication with each of the first conduits 64. The blower 72 iselectrically coupled to the control circuit 22 and the blower 72 isaligned with the air exhaust 20. The blower 72 urges air outwardlythrough the air exhaust 20 when the blower 72 is turned on therebyurging air inwardly through the air intake 18. In this way each of thefirst 52 and second 54 air apertures in the drawer 42 of each of thedrawer units 24 passes air through the drawer 42 of each of the drawerunits 24 for drying the category of clothes in the drawer 42 of each ofthe drawer units 24. The blower 72 may be an electric fan that includesa motor and a plurality of blades or any other type ofelectro-mechanical blower.

A plurality of dampers 74 is provided and each of the dampers 74 iscoupled to the terminal end 66 of a respective one of the first conduits64. The terminal end 66 of each of the first conduits 64 has arespective one of the drawers 42 being associated therewith and each ofthe dampers 74 are electrically coupled to the control circuit 22. Eachof the dampers 74 is actuated into a closed position to restrict airfrom passing through the terminal end 66 of the respective first conduit64. Alternatively, each of the dampers 74 is actuated into an openposition to allow air to pass through the terminal end 66 of therespective first conduit 64. Each of the dampers 74 is actuated inaccordance to a respective one of the drying sequences stored in thecontrol circuit 22. In this way each of the dampers 74 can expose thecategory of clothing in the associated drawer 42 to a pre-determinedduration of air flow. Each of the dampers 74 may comprise anelectro-mechanical air damper or other device capable of meteringairflow through the conduit.

A timer 76 is coupled to the housing 12 and the timer 76 is electricallycoupled to the control circuit 22. The timer 76 is manually adjustablefor overriding a drying time in each of the drying sequences. Aplurality of control buttons 78 is each coupled to the housing 12. Eachof the control buttons 78 is electrically coupled to the control circuit22 and each of the control buttons 78 is assigned to a respective one ofthe dampers 74. The control circuit 22 actuates the respective damper 74into the open position when the control button 78 assigned to therespective damper 74 is manipulated. In this way the category ofclothing contained in the drawer 42 associated with the respectivedamper 74 can be dried. Additionally, the control circuit 22 turns theblower 72 on when any of the control buttons 78 is manipulated.

A display 80 is coupled to the front wall of the housing and the display80 is electrically coupled to the control circuit. The display 80display 80 s indicia 82 comprising numbers and letters for communicatingthe weight of the category of clothing in each of the drawer units, atime remaining for each of the drawer units, a status of each of thedampers and other operational parameters of the drawer units and theblower unit. The display 80 may be an LCD or the like.

A heater 84 is coupled to the housing and the heater 84 is in fluidcommunication with the air intake. The heater 84 is in thermalcommunication with the air intake to heat air passing through the airintake for drying the categories of clothing in the drawers. The heater84 is electrically coupled to the control circuit and the heater 84 isturned on when the blower is turned on. A power cord 86 is coupled toand extends outwardly from the housing and the power cord 86 iselectrically coupled to the control circuit. The power cord 86 has adistal end 88 with respect to the housing, a plug 90 is electricallycoupled to the distal end 88 and the plug 90 is electrically coupled toa power source 92 such as a female electrical outlet or the like.

In use, each of the categories of clothing is positioned in therespective drawer 42 when the categories of clothing need to be dried.The control buttons 78 are manipulated to select which of the drawers 42will be used for drying. The control circuit 22 calculates the amount ofdrying time for each of the respective categories of clothing based uponthe weight of clothing detected in each drawer 42. Thus, the damper 74associated with each drawer 42 that has been selected is actuated intothe open position for the duration of time sufficient to dry theclothing in each drawer 42. In this way multiple categories of clothingcan be simultaneously dried that each requires differing drying times.Additionally, the timer 76 can be manipulated to add additional time toany other the drying sequences in the control circuit 22.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodimentenabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials,shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, aredeemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and allequivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings anddescribed in the specification are intended to be encompassed by anembodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of thedisclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used inits non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word areincluded, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. Areference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not excludethe possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless thecontext clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

I claim:
 1. An automated clothes dryer assembly being configured tosimultaneously dry a plurality of different types of clothing eachhaving a customized drying sequence, said assembly comprising: ahousing; a plurality of drawer units, each of said drawer units beingslidably positioned in said housing wherein each of said drawer units isconfigured to receive a respective category of clothing; a controlcircuit being coupled to said housing, said control circuit storing datapertaining to a plurality of drying sequences; and a blower unit beingcoupled to said housing, said blower unit being electrically coupled tosaid control circuit, said blower unit being selectively placed in fluidcommunication with each of said drawer units wherein said blower unit isconfigured to dry the category of clothing in each of said drawer units.2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein: said housing has a frontwall, said front wall having a plurality of drawer openings eachextending into an interior of said housing; said drawer openings arespaced apart from each other and being vertically distributed on saidfront wall, said housing having an air intake and an air exhaust; andeach of said drawer units comprises a box having a front side, a backside and an outer wall extending therebetween, said front side beingopen, said outer wall having a first lateral side and a second lateralside, said first lateral side having a first air opening extending intoan interior of said box, said second lateral side having a second airopening extending into an interior of said box, said box being slidablypositioned in said respective drawer opening having said front sidebeing aligned with said front wall of said housing.
 3. The assemblyaccording to claim 2, wherein: each of said drawer units includes adrawer having a front wall, a first sidelong wall, a second sidelongwall and a bottom wall, each of said first and second sidelong wallsslidably engaging a respective one of said first and second lateralsides of said outer wall of said box; said first sidelong wall having afirst air aperture extending therethrough, said first air aperture beingaligned with and being in fluid communication with said first airopening when said drawer is in a closed position in said box; and saidsecond sidelong wall having a second air aperture extendingtherethrough, said second air aperture being aligned with and being influid communication with said second air opening when said drawer is insaid closed position in said box.
 4. The assembly according to claim 3,wherein: said bottom wall has a circulation aperture extendingtherethrough, said drawer in each of said drawer units being assigned torespective one of the categories of clothing; and a screen being coupledto said bottom wall of said box wherein said screen is configured tohave the category of clothing being positioned thereon, said screenbeing aligned with said circulation aperture wherein said screen isconfigured to facilitate air to circulate around the category ofclothing.
 5. The assembly according to claim 4, further comprising ascale being coupled to said bottom wall of said of said drawer whereinsaid scale is configured to detect the weight of the category ofclothing positioned in said drawer, said scale being electricallycoupled to said control circuit.
 6. The assembly according to claim 3,wherein said blower unit comprises a plurality of first conduits, eachof said first conduits being positioned within said housing, each ofsaid first conduits being in fluid communication with said air intake,each of said first conduits having a terminal end, said terminal end ofeach of said first conduits being in fluid communication with said firstair opening in said box of a respective one of said drawer units.
 7. Theassembly according to claim 6, wherein said blower unit comprises aplurality of second conduits, each of said second conduits beingpositioned within said housing, each of said second conduits being influid communication with said air exhaust, each of said second conduitshaving a initial end, said initial end of each of said first conduitsbeing in fluid communication with said second air opening in said box ofa respective one of said drawer units.
 8. The assembly according toclaim 7, further comprising a blower being positioned within saidhousing, said blower being in fluid communication with each of saidconduits, said blower being electrically coupled to said controlcircuit, said blower being aligned with said air exhaust, said blowerurging air outwardly through said air exhaust when said blower is turnedon thereby urging air inwardly through said air intake wherein each ofsaid first and second air apertures in said drawer of each of saiddrawer units is configured to pass air through said drawer of each ofsaid drawer units for drying the category of clothes in said drawer ofeach of said drawer units.
 9. The assembly according to claim 8, furthercomprising: a plurality of dampers, each of said dampers being coupledto a said terminal end of a respective one of said first conduits, saidterminal end of each of said first conduits having a respective one ofsaid drawers being associated therewith, each of said dampers beingelectrically coupled to said control circuit; each of said dampers beingactuated into a closed position wherein each of said dampers isconfigured to restrict air from passing through said terminal end ofsaid respective first conduit; and each of said dampers being actuatedinto an open position wherein each of said dampers is configured toallow air to pass through said terminal end of said respective firstconduit, each of said dampers being actuated in accordance to arespective one of said drying sequences stored in said control circuitwherein each of said dampers is configured to expose the category ofclothing in said associated drawer to a pre-determined duration of airflow.
 10. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a timerbeing coupled to said housing, said timer being electrically coupled tosaid control circuit, said timer being manually adjustable foroverriding a drying time in each of said drying sequences.
 11. Theassembly according to claim 9, further comprising a plurality of controlbuttons, each of said control buttons being coupled to said housing,each of said control buttons being electrically coupled to said controlcircuit, each of said control buttons being assigned to a respective oneof said dampers, said control circuit actuating said respective damperinto said open position when said control button assigned to saidrespective damper is manipulated for drying the category of clothingcontained in said drawer associated with said respective damper, saidcontrol circuit turning said blower on when any of said control buttonsis manipulated.
 12. The assembly according to claim 11, furthercomprising a display being coupled to said front wall of said housing,said display being electrically coupled to said control circuit, saiddisplay displaying indicia comprising numbers and letters communicatingthe weight of the category of clothing in each of said drawer units, atime remaining for each of said drawer units, a status of each of saiddampers and other operational parameters of said drawer units and saidblower unit.
 13. The assembly according to claim 11, further comprisinga heater being coupled to said housing, said heater being in fluidcommunication with said air intake, said heater being in thermalcommunication with said air intake wherein said heater is configured toheat air passing through said air intake for drying the categories ofclothing in said drawers, said heater being electrically coupled to saidcontrol circuit, said heater being turned on when said blower is turnedon.
 14. An automated clothes dryer assembly being configured tosimultaneously dry a plurality of different types of clothing eachhaving a customized drying sequence, said assembly comprising: a housinghaving a front wall, said front wall having a plurality of draweropenings each extending into an interior of said housing, said draweropenings being spaced apart from each other and being verticallydistributed on said front wall, said housing having an air intake and anair exhaust; a control circuit being coupled to said housing, saidcontrol circuit storing data pertaining to a plurality of dryingsequences; a plurality of drawer units, each of said drawer units beingslidably positioned in said housing wherein each of said drawer units isconfigured to receive a respective category of clothing, each of saiddrawer units being positioned in a respective one of said draweropenings, each of said drawer units comprising: a box having a frontside, a back side and an outer wall extending therebetween, said frontside being open, said outer wall having a first lateral side and asecond lateral side, said first lateral side having a first air openingextending into an interior of said box, said second lateral side havinga second air opening extending into an interior of said box, said boxbeing slidably positioned in said respective drawer opening having saidfront side being aligned with said front wall of said housing; a drawerhaving a front wall, a first sidelong wall, a second sidelong wall and abottom wall, each of said first and second sidelong walls slidablyengaging a respective one of said first and second lateral sides of saidouter wall of said box, said first sidelong wall having a first airaperture extending therethrough, said first air aperture being alignedwith and being in fluid communication with said first air opening whensaid drawer is in a closed position in said box, said second sidelongwall having a second air aperture extending therethrough, said secondair aperture being aligned with and being in fluid communication withsaid second air opening when said drawer is in said closed position insaid box, said bottom wall having a circulation aperture extendingtherethrough, said drawer in each of said drawer units being assigned torespective one of the categories of clothing; a screen being coupled tosaid bottom wall of said box wherein said screen is configured to havethe category of clothing being positioned thereon, said screen beingaligned with said circulation aperture wherein said screen is configuredto facilitate air to circulate around the category of clothing; and ascale being coupled to said bottom wall of said of said drawer whereinsaid scale is configured to detect the weight of the category ofclothing positioned in said drawer, said scale being electricallycoupled to said control circuit; a blower unit being coupled to saidhousing, said blower unit being in fluid communication with each of saidair intake and said air exhaust wherein said blower unit is configuredto urge air inwardly through said air intake and outwardly through saidair exhaust, said each of said drawer units being in fluid communicationwith said blower unit wherein said blower unit is configured to dry thecategory of clothing in each of said drawer units, said blower unitcomprising: a plurality of first conduits, each of said first conduitsbeing positioned within said housing, each of said first conduits beingin fluid communication with said air intake, each of said first conduitshaving a terminal end, said terminal end of each of said first conduitsbeing in fluid communication with said first air opening in said box ofa respective one of said drawer units; a plurality of second conduits,each of said second conduits being positioned within said housing, eachof said second conduits being in fluid communication with said airexhaust, each of said second conduits having a initial end, said initialend of each of said first conduits being in fluid communication withsaid second air opening in said box of a respective one of said drawerunits; and a blower being positioned within said housing, said blowerbeing in fluid communication with each of said conduits, said blowerbeing electrically coupled to said control circuit, said blower beingaligned with said air exhaust, said blower urging air outwardly throughsaid air exhaust when said blower is turned on thereby urging airinwardly through said air intake wherein each of said first and secondair apertures in said drawer of each of said drawer units is configuredto pass air through said drawer of each of said drawer units for dryingthe category of clothes in said drawer of each of said drawer units; anda plurality of dampers, each of said dampers being coupled to a saidterminal end of a respective one of said first conduits, said terminalend of each of said first conduits having a respective one of saiddrawers being associated therewith, each of said dampers beingelectrically coupled to said control circuit, each of said dampers beingactuated into a closed position wherein each of said dampers isconfigured to restrict air from passing through said terminal end ofsaid respective first conduit, each of said dampers being actuated intoan open position wherein each of said dampers is configured to allow airto pass through said terminal end of said respective first conduit, eachof said dampers being actuated in accordance to a respective one of saiddrying sequences stored in said control circuit wherein each of saiddampers is configured to expose the category of clothing in saidassociated drawer to a pre-determined duration of air flow; a timerbeing coupled to said housing, said timer being electrically coupled tosaid control circuit, said timer being manually adjustable foroverriding a drying time in each of said drying sequences; a pluralityof control buttons, each of said control buttons being coupled to saidhousing, each of said control buttons being electrically coupled to saidcontrol circuit, each of said control buttons being assigned to arespective one of said dampers, said control circuit actuating saidrespective damper into said open position when said control buttonassigned to said respective damper is manipulated for drying thecategory of clothing contained in said drawer associated with saidrespective damper, said control circuit turning said blower on when anyof said control buttons is manipulated; a display being coupled to saidfront wall of said housing, said display being electrically coupled tosaid control circuit, said display displaying indicia comprising numbersand letters communicating the weight of the category of clothing in eachof said drawer units, a time remaining for each of said drawer units, astatus of each of said dampers and other operational parameters of saiddrawer units and said blower unit; a heater being coupled to saidhousing, said heater being in fluid communication with said air intake,said heater being in thermal communication with said air intake whereinsaid heater is configured to heat air passing through said air intakefor drying the categories of clothing in said drawers, said heater beingelectrically coupled to said control circuit, said heater being turnedon when said blower is turned on; and a power cord being coupled to andextending outwardly from said housing, said power cord beingelectrically coupled to said control circuit, said power cord having adistal end with respect to said housing, said distal end having a plugbeing electrically coupled thereto, said plug being electrically coupledto a power source.